Using the text Allah

RELIGIOUS MATTERS ARE BEST RESOLVED THROUGH RELIGIOUS MEANS AND REASONING

Following the court decision allowing the use of the text ALLAH by the Catholic Weekly, the Herald, there had been so much controversy surrounding it. The world knew what happened since then.

In the face of this controversy the ensuing reactions were anger and calls to stop the Christian from using the text ALLAH in their practice, and in all forms of communicative display. There were even several outbursts within the wake of the anger that several churches were subjected to attempted arson, splash of paint, and other physical abuse.

Do we need to be belligerent towards the Christian over the usage of the text? As Muslim we believe that the Christian and others have erred in their religious paths and practices, but are they not also the creation of ALLAH, as they are being part of mankind? Isn’t ALLAH the only God and God to all mankind? We can be so concerned with the use of the text that we can also risk acting contrary to its meaning?

Do we want to distance ourselves from the non Muslim and always be suspicious of them? All that they hear from us is HARAM. JAIS had already banned them from using 25 texts. Do we not want others to be attracted to Islam? Most importantly, do we want to continue teach our Muslim brothers and sisters to communicate in the same manner? Say no to our non Muslim neighbors without communicating the rationale? I think we should start saying more yes and use the opportunity and tell them more about Islam. I think the Muslim should be taught more about Islam to able to communicate more positively. That way we can become more attractive to others. It will open up the way for us to be genuine leaders and take better control.

I think we should "allow" them use the text ALLAH and at the same time communicate to them the true meaning of ALLAH. Wouldn’t this be the most opportune moment to communicate to the Christian that it is alright to use the text, as long as they understand the need to embrace the true meaning of the text. We need to communicate with grace that, the Christian likewise, need also to handle the text with utmost care according to its true meaning. Such communication need to be handled by top religious authorities and Islamic scholars. The Christian should not take the text without reflecting its true meaning. To use the text without the true meaning will tantamount to its misuse and abuse. That will not be acceptable. If eventually they do accept it, then they will be many steps closer to our camp. That will be a great victory for Islam. If they don’t, and decided to instead use the texts “JEHOVAH” to mean Lord and “ELOHIM” to mean God, then it will be their choice. No love lost.

Religious matters are best resolved through religious means and reasoning, but at the time we must portray the grace, skill, patient and excellence in our leadership.

The rest of us need to learn from the communication. We must be united and clear in what we communicate. To tell the Christian that by allowing them use the text will only confuse our young generation is a very lame excuse. That it will hurt our feelings is pathetic. To quote past histories will only sound incoherent since the current generation hardly understand or feel attached to it. In the final analysis, it will only expose our weaknesses. Are we not confident of our parenting skills and religious education that our young children can easily be misled by the teaching of Christian? Is our religious environment so fragile and vague that our young generation can get confuse with what is Islamic right from wrong? We already have enough problems of our own doings to blame on. Our involvement in corruptions, domestic abuses, and serious crimes are sending the wrong signals to our young people about our commitment to the teaching of Islam. If those were our subtle admission, then the only way forward is to correct and consolidate ourselves.

We can choose to be perceived as fanatical, narrow minded and chauvinistic, or we can portray ourselves as most civilized and wisest of the lot. We need to initiate the communication and lead the way. We can show the Christian and others how the Muslim behaves in accordance to the teaching of Islam. We can win their hearts and followings only by our noble and exemplary behavior. This is the testing moment of our tolerance, sensitivity, wisdom and leadership.

Acting in contrast as we have demonstrated currently will only betray the very spirit of the text and meaning of ALLAH that we are passionately trying to defend in the first place.

The world is watching us. We can help change their negative perception about Islam. As Malaysian Muslim we can positively contribute to that by the way we treat our non Muslim brothers and sisters who in this instance happened to be the minority Christian.

Wasalam.